children’s church

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I’ve recently decided (after years of presenting Biblical Truths to children) that learning to present an object lesson effectively is one of the “Great Equalizers” in presentation-based children’s ministries. (One of the other ones is: effective storytelling… but, that’s for another post).

I love puppetry, ventriloquism, magic tricks, juggling, cartooning, crazy characters, etc.

If you want to learn more about a great organization that promotes and trains people to do those things, go to FCM.org 

To find resources related to using magic tricks, try my resources at jamiedoylemagic.com

However, I’ve also come to realize that not every presenter at our various church locations has an interest in pursuing these various illustrative methods. But, if they can learn to effectively present an object lesson, they will elevate the experience for the children in the audience.

With that said, here are a few things YOU can do to help you better present an object lesson:

  • KNOW WHAT you are going to say: Script it out… even just bullet points
  • DO something with the Object/Prop —OR— Demonstrate what it does
  • INVITE a volunteer or volunteers to use the Object/Prop if it’s appropriate
  • Have a PLACE it starts so it’s hidden to begin with – This creates surprise
  • Have a PLACE it goes to once you’re done – Sometimes its goes back to being hidden and sometimes it stays on display so you can refer back to it
  • SIZE and COLOR… Make sure it can be seen and understood when viewed
  • MUSIC in the background can help carry the message and create atmosphere

So… what else would you add to this list?

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It is my privilege to share my ONLINE Gospel Magic Lecture: “Magic, Mystery and Message” for the Fellowship of Christian Magicians Live Online Convention – Saturday, April 4, 2020

Here are some of the resources mentioned during lecture:


“Magic, Mystery and Message”

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It is my privilege to share my Breakout Sessions: “Tricky Messages for Kids” and “Effective Response Times in KidMin” at the AG KidMin Conference 2020.

Here are some of the resources mentioned during the break-outs:


“Tricky Messages for Kids”

Tricky Messages Breakout Notes 2020

Jamie’s Online Bookstore… look for the “Tricky Messages for Kids” Books 1, 2, 3, 4 in pdf format

Links to Additional Resources:

Laflin Magic Store

GospelMagic.com (Aka: Doc Haley Gospel Magic)

Creative Arts Store

Mission Magic (UK)

Fellowship of Christian Magicians

Study Children’s Ministry with Jamie at River City Leadership College and get your degree!


“Effective Response Times in KidMin”

Breakout Notes

Jamie’s Online Bookstore… look for the Altar Call book available as a .pdf or paperback

Sample Salvation Email for Parents

Salvation Page For Names

Sample Service Order

Follow-up Pamphlets (AGKidMin):

Now What? Salvation

Now What? Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Now What? Called By God

AGKidMin Digital Bundle

Background Music:

Eric Nordhoff (Spotify)

Eric Nordhoff (iTunes)

Making Room For Response (old audio session via Jamie Doyle)

“Power-Filled” Book by Philip and Robin Malcolm (plus many other downloadable resources)

Study Children’s Ministry with Jamie at River City Leadership College and get your degree!

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It is my privilege to share my Breakout Session: “Effective Altar Calls in KidMin” at our Indiana District KidMin Conference.

Here are some of the resources mentioned during the break-out:

Breakout Notes

Link to Jamie’s Online Bookstore… look for the Altar Call book available as a .pdf or paperback

Sample Salvation Email for Parents

Salvation Page For Names

Sample Service Order

Follow-up Pamphlets (AGKidMin):

Now What? Salvation

Now What? Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Now What? Called By God

AGKidMin Digital Bundle

Background Music:

Eric Nordhoff (Spotify)

Eric Nordhoff (iTunes)

Making Room For Response (old audio session via Jamie Doyle)

“Power-Filled” Book by Philip and Robin Malcolm (plus many other downloadable resources)

 

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Have you ever wished you had that one new THING, believing it would improve your presentation?

Don’t fall for it! We all love new gadgets, props and things that can be used in a presentation, performance or ministry setting. Try these ideas first and let me know how it goes:

  • Pray beforehand.
  • Study so you’ll know what you’re talking about.
  • Have a plan —When you don’t, they do.
  • Meet the audiences’ level of intensity… and then, go beyond it.
  • Be animated with your body movements: fill the space around you.
  • Be animated with your voice: pace, volume, intensity, tone.
  • Make eye-contact.
  • Get kids to respond verbally: cheering, sound effects, call and response.
  • Get kids to respond physically: standing, sitting, hand motions, moving around the room.
  • Use kid-volunteers to help you: to hold props, become instant actors/actresses, to be interviewed.
  • Use the names of the children present in the room while presenting.
  • Use audio: background music, sound effects, popular song segments.
  • Use lighting: adjust the brightness and color.
  • Demonstrate a talent, ability or skill that fits the presentation.
  • Prearrange for guests (kids, teens and adults) with special talents to be part of the presentation.
  • Teach like Jesus (like one who has authority).

What other tips would you add?

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Children in our churches are becoming increasingly unlearned as far as the Bible is concerned.

I hear many KidMin Leaders complain about the problem — mainly because there is no starting point. I have taken that as a personal mission to do whatever I can to become part of the solution. Here are a few of my ideas. Adopt any or all at your discretion:

  • Encourage kids to bring a Bible with them to church – offer points for attendance and when they bring their Bibles with them.
  • Take time to look up key verses, passages and stories during large group and small group times.
  • If necessary, instruct the children in HOW to find verses, passages and stories in their own Bibles.
  • Have good old Sword Drills — trust me: children still love the challenge!
  • Carry a Bible with you when you teach and preach. Open it, motion to it, make it a symbol of significance.
  • Have several sources for parents who want to get their child their own Bible.
  • Take a year and teach the significant stories through the Bible — example: we taught on the Old Testament for September, October & November; December we taught all about the Christmas story; January, February, we are learning about the miracles of Jesus; March is all about some popular parables of Jesus; April will be the Easter story and May will focus on the early church.
  • Do a series on the importance of God’s Word, how we got the Bible and all the amazing facts about it.
  • Give parents a reading plan they can follow with their children.
  • Have a memory verse challenge where there are incentives for memorizing scripture.
  • Play memory verse games during your classes and services – share those ideas with parents so they can play the games at home.
  • Use music and songs for your worship time that are based on scripture.

What would you add?

Comment below and let us know how you engage kids in the greatest resource available to them.

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EPISODE 4

I still love Kids Church – in the last episode, we discussed the stuff that makes a kids church work. This episode is Part 2 of all about Kids Church! I discuss the structures that I’ve used to make my Kids Church work over the years.

Did you know that the modern Kids Church is a mash-up of:

education, entertainment and inspiration?

Let me know what you think and please, don’t forget to rate and review this episode and others, on iTunes!

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1950s-1960s-college-woman-studying-surrounded-all-around-by-piles-of-booksIf you’re like me (and I know I am), you put a lot of emphasis on teaching kids the Word of God every week – and in some cases, several times or venues a week.

I was on staff at a church and had 4 Kids’ Church large groups on a weekend. Add to that a Sunday School hour, Wednesday night large groups (of which I’m involved) and Wednesday night small groups. We also have a myriad of classes and services for toddlers and preschoolers and even some teaching time for infants that our wonderful staff on directors and volunteers oversee and participate in.

THERE’S A WHOLE LOT OF TEACHING GOING ON!

Let me encourage you this week as you plan for the upcoming Wednesday or Weekend and give you a pointer that I just know will give you the confidence and in some cases the “know-how”… and if there’s anything I’ve learned in the last few years: INFORMATION is POWERFUL when you APPLY IT.

Start preparing early in the week for the upcoming lesson or class time. In other words, if your ministry time was over the weekend, crack open that lesson book or materials on Monday… if your ministry time was on Wednesday; then make Thursday your day to start studying. You don’t have to plan your entire lesson on that day, but at least:

  • Read over the lesson
  • Know and memorize the key verse
  • Look up and read any supporting verses
  • And know the main point of the lesson.

Why should you do this? I’m glad you asked!

…When you start early in the week, it gives the Holy Spirit time to be your helper… instead of (gulp) having to work in spite of you. Think about it: all week long as you pray over the materials you’ve read, the Lord will reveal unique teaching ideas, stories you’ve heard or events in your life that you could work into your lesson. As the day of ministry gets closer and you are planning what that class time should look like, instead of saying, “Lord, what am I going to teach?” …you’ll be able to say “Lord, how do I fit all of these ideas into the lesson?”

Try it – I promise it will work. And as always, if you ever need a teaching idea, I’m just an e-mail away and I’m happy to brainstorm with you! I’d better let you go – some of you need to start studying!

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I’ve taught a lot over the years on the structure of a children’s church.

I believe in it!  It’s a place where kids are gathered corporately and worship, learn and fellowship. Those of you who have a Large Group/Small Group format can still benefit from this information as well as those who have a major emphasis on a children’s worship service – AKA: Children’s Church.

One day, while studying to teach on this topic once again at a conference, I realized that the children’s church service was a hybrid of several models. The Children’s Church has mix of the following elements:

  • Education
  • Inspiration
  • Entertainment

Here are the three models:

The Education Class Model –

This model has been used for years and is like a mantra to classic and succesful educators:

  • Tell them what are going to teach them – this is the icebreaker/opener that introduces kids to the lesson.
  • Teach it to them – teach them using all the fun methods that you use.
  • Tell them what you just taught them – review games and follow-up moments at the end of service (take-home papers or bulletins could also fit this heading).

The vaudeville Show Model –

I came across this a few years back after watching Duane Laflin speak about the psychological needs of an audience:

  • Excitement – something that gets the show/service off to a fun and exciting start
  • Introduction – welcoming the audience and helping them to feel comfortable with being there
  • Identification – showing in an exciting way why you are all together or, preview your lesson
  • Involvement – get the audience engaged… Invite people to participate – both corporately as well as individuals… Every kid wants to help
  • Solid Content – This was the feature act – teach the “meat” of the lesson
  • Confirmation – give the audience a chance to respond and let them leave feeling positive about what they just experienced – like an altar call, and a review. The kids should leave with a sense that they can put what you just taught them into practice.

The Intensity Model of a Children’s Ministry Setting –

I’ve used this for years to help structure how a childrne’s church should look:

  • Kids are excited, rowdy and silly at the beginning of a class – match that with some controlled chaos… Fun games, exciting songs, silly or funny characters.
  • About half way to two-thirds thru the class time is when the kids are at their most attentive – teach the most important things during this window… The main sermon, prayer time, worship times.
  • As the class comes to a close, the kids will start to get rowdy again, so end with excitement elements… Review games, songs that relate to the topic, funny characters who need help from the kids in reviewing the lesson.

I hope you can see how each of these models kind of “morphs” together to create a good structure for a children’s church setting.

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